ABTTF attends the 69th FUEN Congress in Italy

The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) participated in the 69th annual congress of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN), held in Bolzano/Bozen/Bulsan, South Tyrol, Italy, from October 23–26, 2025.

Hosted by the South Tyrolean People’s Party (SVP), which represents the German and Ladin minorities in Italy, the congress gathered representatives of indigenous national minorities, peoples, and language groups from 30 European countries.

ABTTF was represented by President and FUEN Working Group of Turk Minorities/Communities (TAG) Spokesperson Halit Habip Oğlu, ABTTF Vice President and FUEN Vice President Nabi İbrahimcik, and ABTTF International Relations Director Melek Kırmacı.

Discussions on Cross-Border Access to Minority-Language Media
Panel sessions at the congress addressed challenges in cross-border access to audiovisual media in minority languages and examined how FUEN’s Minority SafePack Initiative (MSPI) aims to tackle these barriers. The host German and Ladin minorities also presented their cultural heritage through various performances.

Nabi İbrahimcik Re-Elected as FUEN Vice President
During the FUEN Assembly of Delegates held within the congress framework, elections for the FUEN Presidency and Vice Presidencies took place. Olivia Schubert, representing the German minority in Hungary, was elected as FUEN’s new President, while ABTTF Vice President Nabi İbrahimcik was re-elected as FUEN Vice President for a second term.

Resolutions by Western Thrace and the Dodecanese Turks Adopted
A joint resolution submitted by the ABTTF, Western Thrace Turkish Graduates Association (BTAYTD), and the Friendship, Equality, Peace (FEP) Party on behalf of the Western Thrace Turkish community was adopted by majority vote.

The resolution highlighted Greece’s ongoing refusal for over 17 years to implement three European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rulings in the Bekir Usta and Others case group regarding Turkish associations. It also referred to the Iskece Province Turkish Women’s Cultural Association, which won its case at the ECHR after Greek authorities denied registration in 2010, claiming the word “Turkish” was misleading and a threat to public order.

The resolution noted that in the Sagır and Others v. Greece judgment delivered on June 24, 2025, the ECHR unanimously found Greece in violation of Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights (freedom of assembly and association). The FUEN therefore urged Greece to respect the Western Thrace Turkish community’s right to freedom of association and to implement the relevant ECHR rulings fully and effectively.

Another resolution submitted by the Association of Culture and Solidarity of Rhodes, Kos and the Dodecanese Turks (ROISDER) was also adopted by majority vote, calling on Greece to allow the use of the word “Turkish” in the names of institutions and organizations representing the Turkish community of the Dodecanese Islands.

Four New Minority Organizations Join FUEN
During the Assembly of Delegates, FUEN welcomed four new member organizations:

• The Ukrainian minority organization in Hungary,
• The Roma minority organization in Romania,
• The Sater Frisian organization in Germany (as ordinary members), and
• The Yenish organization in Germany (as a supporting member).
• Upcoming FUEN Congresses
• The 70th FUEN Congress in 2026 will be hosted by the Swedish minority in Finland in Helsinki, while the 71st FUEN Congress in 2027 will be hosted by the Italian minority in Istria, Slovenia.